Athletics Could Deal Hottest Triple-A Bat This Summer
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As the A's gear up for the trade deadline this summer, they are looking to add some pitching help. Some help on that side of the baseball could really help elevate the A's into a playoff team in a very weak American League.
If the A's really want a strong pitcher to add to their staff, they're going to have to pay the price by offering good prospects or MLB-ready talent in return.
The team could elect to deal Colby Thomas, as he likely won't have a spot in the future of the A's outfield. We have discussed him as part of a possible return if the A's want to land Red Sox closer, Aroldis Chapman.
There are plenty of talented options for the A's to get this summer, and one of the most valuable trade pieces could be the Las Vegas Aviators' hottest bat.
Joshua Kuroda-Grauer Will Interest Many Teams This Summer
Prospects with a BA > .300, a K% < 11% and a SwStr% < 6%:
— LouisAnalysis (@LouisAnalysis) June 18, 2026
- Caden Bodine: 22, A+
- Emilio Barreras: 22, A+
- Isaiah Barkett: 22, A
- Dameury Pena: 20, A
- Joshua Kuroda-Grauer: 23, AAA
Barkett, Pena and Grauer all have > 10 SB too. Contact specialists. pic.twitter.com/TLsWdm2cQJ
Unfortunately for many A's fans, the team could elect to deal Kuroda-Grauer this summer if they want to land an elite starter.
JKG has been lighting the Pacific Coast League on fire to start this season, and could be pushing the A's front office to call him up.
The Rutgers product holds an unreal .359 batting average with an .884 OPS in 167 at-bats this season with the Aviators.
In case you didn't notice, Joshua Kuroda-Grauer got in the gym this offseason & bulked up. After hitting a combined total of 2 HR in 2024 & 2025, he's already hit 5 HR in the first month of the season, is tied for most extra-base hits in the A's system with 13 & is slugging .529.
— Bill Moriarity - A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) April 28, 2026
His efforts this season have helped boost the Aviators to become the first-half PCL champions.
JKG is ranked as the A's tenth overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline. His 55-grade hit tool and 60-grade speed at shortstop make him a super attractive prospect for opposing teams. Any non-contenders with a need in the infield could swoop him up, in exchange for good pitching.
JKG Could Be Part of Potential Joe Ryan Trade
The Twins sit far out of reach from being a playoff contender, and they have a couple of really strong trade candidates.
The Yankees will be top contenders for their backstop, Ryan Jeffers. They will also have their ace, Joe Ryan, gaining interest from contenders up until the deadline.
Last season, the Twins completely unloaded their major league squad, and nothing is stopping them from doing the same thing this summer to add to their farm system.
Joe Ryan’s day is done, he pitched really well just threw a lot of pitches through five for the #MNTwins
— SleeperTwins (@SleeperMLBTwins) June 18, 2026
5.0 IP
3 H
0 ER
2 BB
7 Ks
In line for his 5th win of the season pic.twitter.com/YSmVFTRu58
The layout for the Twins' infield is solid with Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, and Luke Keaschall. However, adding an elite shortstop prospect like Kuroda-Grauer could be a very good move for their future, and could even get good playing time this season.
Joe Ryan would easily help the A's win a bunch more games and would be their ace heading into a potential playoff run in the easy American League. Pairing him up with the hot arms of Gage Jump and J.T. Ginn would give the team a huge boost.
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Dylan Quinn grew up playing baseball, and also enjoyed watching and writing about his favorite team, the A’s. Being a diehard A’s fan from New Jersey is certainly not common, but he loves the team and all of the current and former players so much. Quinn currently attends school at Penn State Scranton where he plays baseball.
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